Water-meter or meter system.



L. T. BARNES.

WATER METER 0R METER SYSTEM.

APPLICATION man 1uLY16.'1914. HENEwED MAR. 30.1911.

witness/eo L. T. BARNES.

WATER METER O R METER SYSTEM. APPucAnoN man luLY I6. |914. nsufwio mmnao. 1911.

m m .a ww, Z W w /Vm 1, y, W7@

r. 7 fw. Nm 7/7 /v IW w MM m W n z e .m f W W/ m P. 3 w

Sea Cliff, Long Island, in the county of ssrn naar

ne@ y aannam' ir. BAnNns, or snn'omnr, new wenn, stenen 'ro narrower.. marne. comm, onnnw Yoan, n. r., n conronaron or :anw wenn.

WATER-Meran. on Meran saam.

Specication of Lettere Patent.

. resented July e, mit.

application mea July'iis, 1914, serial no. amato. Renewed :en ao, 1917. serial no. laatst.

To all 'whom t may concern Be it known that I, LLEWELLYN T. BARNES, a citizen of the United States, residin at assau and State of New York, have invented certain new and useful Water-Meters or Meter Systems, of which `the following is a specification..

My y invention relates broadly and generally to new and useful improvements in" water meters or meter systems of that character or type including two meters, one of a capacity for measuring comparatively low or normal rates` of flow and the other for measuring comparatively high rates of'fiow beyond the capacityI of the meter for measurine' the normal rates, means being provided of high capacity into operation when the How exceeds the capacity of the meter measuring the normal flow. 1

The object. of he presentinvention- 1s. to provide an automatically acting valve which will be automatically opened when conditions require the service of the meter of high capacity, which will continue in open position as lon as this requirement exists, and automatic'ay close, and be held closed, when the rateof flow drops, so as to be within the capacity of the meter for measuring normal iows.

The invention consists in the novel construction and combination of parts to be more fully described hereinafter and the novelty lor' which will be particularly pointed out and distinctly claimed.

.I have fullyland clearly illustrated my invention in the accompanying drawings, to be taken as a part of this specification, and wherein: y l

Figure 1 is a plan view, partly in sectlon,

' of a meter system including my invention i y '1 desi ates'apipeconnection, one end 2 of which"isadapted-Itolbeyconnected to a y mainorlotherfsource'of flow 4(notshown),

Improvements in for automatically throwing the meterV said connection having a branch coupling 3 connected to, one end of a pi e 4 leading to a meter 5, which may be'o a capacity of svstem- Flow through this meter 5 may be a controlled by valves 5, 5", arranged respectively in the pipes 4 and 6, on opposite sldes of the sald meter. The inner end of the pipe connection 2 is tapered or reduced to a cone shape, as at' 9, and is connected by a suitable water-tight connection to the casing 10, the latter containing a proportional'ow devicein the form of a sleeve or tube 11, and having a by-pass or branch duct 12 having a capacity of flow in determined Aproportion to the capacity of low through the said device 11. f

The pipe connection 1 Iiseprovided with an outlet branch connection 13 which is connected to the inlet side of a proportional meter 14, the outlet side of which is connected to a branch 15 of the connection. 1 and communicates through said branch 15 withsaid by-pass orduct 12. The duct 12 may be proportioned so as to have a definite rate of tlow relative to the rate of flow through themain bore of the' device 11 and the indicating mechanism Aof the meter 14 is so geared as to. indicate the correct flow through said main bore. A

The opposite end'ofthe casing 10 from that connected to the outlet end of the pipe 1, is connected to a pipe or conduit' 16 which gradually expands or flares from its' point of connection withv said casing 10, the larger end of said pipe 16 being connected to the inlet end 17 of a valve-casing 18, the outlet '19 of which is connected to they pipe connection 8, heretofore described. It will be understood that the pipe connections 1, the proportional flow device .11, the pipe 16 valve-casing 18, and connection 8 4are of diameters or design permitting rates of How in excess of the capacity of the pipe 4, heretofore described. It will also be understood l tended, the body of the same preferably having its top portion formed with an opening,

' as at 20, closed by a suitable cover plate2l astenng bolts 22. Thev held in position by f opening to theA inlet 17 is preferably rovided with a neck 23 the inner end o-w 'ch fr forms a valve seat, said seat bein faced by suitable packing material 24, the f` ace of the seat being preferably in a vertical plane.

Projecting. inward toward each other from opposite sides of the casing are hollow bosses 25, 25, in which are ymounted the ends 26 of a horizontally disposedpivot pin or shaft 27 upon which pin or shaft is suspended a supporting member 23 carrying a stud or pin 29 upon which is snpported a valve ldisk or plate 30, the rim .of which is adapted to coperate with the seat 24 to control flow `of water through the casing from said inlet i7. lt will be seen that the said valve is 'eely movable toward and away from said seat, so that a predominati'ng pressure on the inlet side of the casing over that on the outlet lside will tend to open the valve, while an excess of pressure at the outlet over the inlet tends to close the valve.

Yes

-longitudinal alinement with the member 28,

said operating member 28" being preferably rounded at its upper end, as shown in Figs.

v2 and 3, and arranged to swingwith the said supporting member 28 for Ya purpose to be presently set forth.

VMeans is provided for holding the valve closed under ordinary lows, but operating to release the valve to permit 1t to open when the pressure at the inlet exceeds in a determined relation that of the ontlet, dne either to a reduction of pressure at the outlet or an increase of pressure at the inlet. This means will now be described: v

Above the shaft 27, and slightly in advance thereof, toward the inlet, are two alining hollow bosses 31 projecting inward toward each other from opposite sides of the inner face of the casing, in which bosses are respectively mounted the opposite ends 32, 32, of a horizontally disposed pivot pin or shaft 33.

Supported on the shaft 33 is a gravity member which is adapted preferably to be movable relative to the valve so as to exert recense l its force thereon during normal flows, to maintain the valve closed, but operable when the valve opens to be moved out ofv holding ,relation to the valve and be held in the form of a receptacle 37 adapted to receive a quantity of shot or similar material suilicient to make the gravity member ,of the desired weight and have proper holding action on the valve. The receptacle may be provided with a suitable opening 38 adapted to be closed by a suitable. removable plug or closure 39, ywhereby access is had to the interior of the receptacle. l desire it understood that I do not limit myself to the particular form of weight or the manner of adjusting the same, as other forms of weights may be used within the intended scopev of my invention.

The member 34 is provided at its free end with a projection 40, which is adapted to coperatel with and rest' upon the free end of the holding arm or projection 28a in .order to hold the valve closed, as clearly shown in Fig. 2 of the drawings, so that the valve 30 is held shut against all dilierences of pressure between the inlet and outlet which areless than the forcev exerted upon the valve by the gravity member in holding the same closed.

I will now describe the means whereby an excess of pressure on the inlet side lof the valve over that on the outletvside sufcient to open the valve against the force of the gravity member serves to move the gravity member out of holding relation to the valve and into a position permitting free movement of the'valve relative to its seat as long as the pressure at the inlet remains high enough to prevent the valve closing. Upon the lower side of the arm 33 is provided a recess 41 which receives the rounded end of the operating member 28",' heretofore described, said recess being wide enough, in a direction transversely ofthe operating member 28", to provide for a certain amount ofplay or lost motion between said operating member and its point of engagement with the walls of the recess, for a purpose to be presently described, the opposite sides of the recess having engaging faces 41, 41 to be engaged by the operating member. The arrangement isy such that. when the valve is opened by an excess of ganse Ypressure .at the inlet, the arm 28 primarilyv acts on the projection 40 to lift the gravity member, and the continued opening movement'o the valve throws Mthe member 28 into engagement with the face 41' thereby serving to slide the gravity member in a general horizontal direction toward the inlet, and out of the path of movement of the valve, by virtue of the slotted connection between the gravity member and the Shaft 33'. e

Projecting from the inner Aopposite side walls of the casing 18 are two hollow alining bosses 42, each of which receives a stem 43 on a supportin member 44, said supporting members a ining with each other, as clearly shown in Fig. 1 of the drawmgs. These supporting members are provided on their faces away from the inlet with curved cam faces 45 adapted to be engaged by rollers 46 supported on pins 47 projecting laterally and inl opposite directions from the gravity member 34. The arrangement of the cam supports and the rollers 46 is such that, when the gravity member is lifted by the valve and moved on the shaft 33 lengthwise of the slot 36, said rollers ride up said cam faces 45 so that the gravity member takes substantially the position shown in dotted lines in Fig. 3, in which position said rollers are located upon the upper surfaces of the supporting members, respectively, and serve to support the gravity member in a position where it is ineffective to. act on the valve to tend to close the same, or to hold it closed, and the valve is free to swing back and forth relative to its seat as'long as thepressure at the inlet is suiliciently high to prevent closing the valve. In order to permit the free movement of the valve described, the rear end of the arm 35 is provided with a curved face 48 vso that, during the swinging movements of the valve, thevv operating member 28b does not in any way affect the position of the gravity member except under conditions and relative position of the parts to be presently set forth.

In order to make a compact structure and s for eiiciency in design, l provide the receptacle 37 with a recess 37 adapted to receive the holding arm 28 when the valve is in open position, so that, when the valve is open, the said arm passes up into said recess.

The arm 28a is employed because of-being of advantage in applying the force of the gravity member with the greatest amount of leverage at the lower edge of the valve so that a mall gravity member will be efficient to hold the valve closed. The arrangement is also desirable because it permits relative arrangement of the valve and gravity member necessary to secure desir- Y able smooth working of the parts.

The parts being as -above described, and the valve being in the position shown in full lines in Fig. 2, the operation of the and said valve is as follows:

As lon as the rate of dow islow enonh;v

to be wit 'n the capacity of the meter 5, AHow takes lace through the pipes 3, 4, said meter 5, t e pipe 6, and the branch 7, to the connection 8, and the yalve 30 is held in closed position because the, action of the gravity member 34 is sucient to holdthe valve closed a ainst the inlet pressure. vUnder these con itions, the parts of the valve will be in the positions shown in Fig. 2 with the projection 40 resting upon the fr ee end of the arm or projectlon 28 so` that the gravity member exerts its force to hold the valve closed. Should, forv any reason, the pressure on the inlet side of said valve 30 exceed that on the outlet side of said valve j of the operating member 28-J and the rear Y side wall 41 of the recess 41,Ithe continued opening of the valve will serve to move the gravity member rearward on its pivot by virtue of the slot 36, which will carry the free end of the projection 40 out of holding relation to the free end of the projection 28 and will carry the rollers 46 into engagement with the cam inclines on the supports 44. The continued opening movement of the valve serves, by means of the engage` ment between the operating member 28 and the face 41a to move the gravity member rearward, thereby causing said rollers to ride up said inclined cam faces and onto the tops of the supports, so that the gravity memberis supported out of holding relation to the valve. When the gravity member is supported on the supports, the parts will be substantially in the position shown' in Fig. 3 in Which the rounded end of the arm 28h is released from the recess41 and the valve is free to move back and forth on its pivot without moving the gravity member, unless the pressure at the inlet should drop so low as to permit the valve to .graviiis l tate almost to closed position. It will be unf derstood that the gravity member'assumes the position shown in Fig. 3 and lis held in this position as long as the pressure on the inlet is high enough to open the valve.

Should the pressure at the inlet drp low enough to permit the valve to gravitate to closed position, the head of the operatin member 281 will swing with the valve unt it-strikes the face '41b of the recess 41 and the continued closing movement of the valve serve toswing the gravity member forward so that the rollers ride oi of the suplll the meter 14 and the meter 5 simultaneous y,

and that the combined readings of these two meters will give the correct rate of iow for the entire system.

rIhe invention is not limited to any particular use, but is especially advantageous in situations Where there is normally a coinparatively low rate of flow which would not be s'uiicient to meet demands for a comparatively large rate of flow in case of emergency; as, for instance, when there is a large rate of flow demanded in case of re.

Under such conditions, a pump or pumping apparatus, such as a fire engine, connected to the outlet 8 and having a demand greater than can be furnished through the meter 5,

Awill cause a lowering of pressure onthe outlet side of the valve which would create the excess of pressure on the inlet side sufficient ,to open the valve.

What I claimand desire to secure by Letters Patent ofthe United States is 1. In a check valve, a casing having a valve seat, a valve coperating with thevalve seat, a gravity member movable inde-- pendently of the valve and adapted to hold the valve in closed position, a support, means whereby the opening movement of the valve moves said gravity member upon said support where it is held independently of the valve and out of holding relation to the latter, and means whereby the valve on closing moves the gravity member from said sup,-

ort. 'p 2. In a check valve, a casing having a valve seat, a valve coperatingA with the valve seat, a gravity member movable independently of the valve. to hold the valve in closed position, a support, means wherebythe opening movement of the valve moves said gravity member out of holding relation toy the valve and onto said support, and means whereby the valve on closing positively moves the gravity member'f'rom said support.

3. In a check valve, a casing having a valve seat, a valve coperating with the valve seat, a gravity member movable inde- .pendently of the valve to hold the valve in closed position, a support, means whereby the opening movement of the valvemoves said gravity member out of holding relation to the valve and onto said support, said means including a. rojectionon the valve engagin said mem er, a sliding pivot for the mem er, and a cam on saidsupport en-r gaged lby the-member.

4. In a check valve, a casing having a valve seat, a valve coperating with said valve seat, a gravity member movable indeclosed position, a pivot, a slotin said member receiving said pivot, and a connectionl vpendently of the valve to hold the valve in between the valve and saidY gravity member pendently of the valve to hold the valve in closed position, a pivot, a support, a slot in said member receiving said pivot, and a connection between the valve and said gravity member whereby opening movement of said valve swings said gravity member on said pivot and slides it on said pivot onto said support to a position out of holding relation to the valve.

6. In a check valve, a casing having a valve seat,'a valve coperating with said seat, a gravity member movable independently of the valve and operable to hold the valve in closed position, andmeans wher^by opening movement of the valve moves said member out of holding relation tothe valve, said means being constructed to permit the valve to move toward and away from its seat whilesaid member is out of holding relation to said valve.

7. In a check valve, a casing having a valve seat, a valve coperating with said seat, a gravity member movable independently of the valve and operable to hold the valve in closed position, means whereby opening movement of the valve moves said member out of holding'relation to the valve,

y said means being constructed to permit the valve to move toward and away from its seat while said member is out of holding relation to said valve, said means consisting of a lost-motion connection between the valve and said member, and a support for said member upon which said member is moved when the valve opens.

' 8. In a check valve, a casing having a n valve seat, a valve coperating with said seat,`a gravity member adapted to hold the valve in closed position, means whereby opening movement of the valve moves Isaid member out of holdinD relation to the valve, means for. retainingl the gravity device in inoperative position while permitting a limited movement of the valve, and means whereby the valve on closing renders said retaining means inoperative.

9. In a check valve, a casing having a valve seat, a valve coperating with said seat, a ,pivotally mounted gravity'member operable to hold the valve in closed position, means whereby opening movement of the valve moves the ravity member out of holding relation to t e valve, means independent of the valve for retaining the gravity member out of holding relation to the valve, and means actuated by the closing of the valve for positively disengaging the gravity member and said retaining means.

10. In a check valve, a casing having' a valve seat, a valve coperable with the valve seat, a pivoted'gravity member having its pivotal movement independent of the valve, a support, and means for moving said gravity member onto said support to relieve the valve thereof when the valve opens.

11. In a check valve, a casing having a valve seat, a valve pivoted tomove toward and away from said seat, a gravity member pivoted to swing relative to said valve and operable to hold the valve to its seat, and means for moving the gravity member out of holding relation to the valve.

12. In a check valve, a valve casing having a valve seat, a pivoted valve coperable with said seat, a gravity member mounted for pivotal and sliding movement relative to the valve, and adapted to engage the valve to hold it in closed position, and means whereby opening movement of the valve swings said member on its pivot and slides it out of the path of movement of the valve. 13. In a check valve, a valve casing having a valve seat, a pivoted valve coperable with said seat and having an upward curved projection, a gravityV member mounted for pivotal and slidin movement relative to the valve and adapte to en age said projection to' hold the valve in cIosed position, and means whereby opening movement of the valve swings said member on its'pivot and slides it to carry it out of the path of movement of said projection on the valve.

14:. In a check va1ve,a valve casing having a valve seat, a .pivoted valve coperating with the valve seat, and having an operating l extension, a gravity member mounted for closed position, said member being engaged by said operating extension to move 1t out of holding engagement with the valve and out of the path of movement of the latter.

15. In alcheck valve, a valve casing having a valve seat, a pivoted -valve coperating with the valve seat, and having an operating extension, a gravity member mounted for pivotal and sliding movementrelative to the valve and adapted to hold the valve in closed position, said member being engaged by said operating extension to move it out of holding engagement with the yvalve and out of the path of movement of the latter, and a face on said member with which the said extension coperates to hold the said member out of holding position.

16. In `a check valve, in combination, a casing having a valve seat, a valve coperating with said seat', a gravity member movable independently of the seat'and operable to hold the valve in closed position, means whereby the opening movement ofthe valve moves said member out of holding relation to the valve, said means includin a lost motion connection between the va ve and said gravity member. Y

17. In a check valve, a casing having a valve seat, a valve coperating with said seat and having a holdlng arm, a gravity member movable independently of the valve and adapted to engage the holding arm to holdv the valve in closed position, means whereby opening movement of the valve moves said gravity member out of holding relation to the valve, said means includin a lost motion connection between said va ve and member and constructed upon closing movement of the valve to Aclear said member Pim. 

